Results for Parliament

The Prime Minister did not think there was any confusion in the speech of the king, and the concern expressed by members was their own misinterpretation. He said that if they read properly his reference to two years, they would know what the king meant. From the House. Minute No. 1, June 1, 2009. Premium Content.

The 2009 Session of the Tonga Legislative Assembly will be officially opened by HM King George Tupou V on Thursday, May 28.

I believe that most people are making a very critical mistake of thinking of democracy as a destination and not viewing it as a process. Democracy is not a certain model or a specific type of people's representation, and this point can be proven by the fact that no two democracies in the world are the same. At the heart of democracy are principles that increase transparency and accountability, but at the same time the success of accomplishing these ideals requires an informed and participating public.

I wish to suggest that we must slow down the current process, which is aimed at bringing about a radical change to the political system in Tonga by the year 2010. - Rev Dr Ma‘afu Palu

Modern Tonga was born, as Pacific historians claimed, out of a marriage of convenience between monarchy and Christianity, may I propose that postmodern Tonga should be conceived out of a marriage of necessity between philosophical, cultural, and political motifs and paradoxes which constitute Tonga's political reality. We need to reflect deeply on how to merge the present political reality and the democratic ideals, traditions and post-modernism, culture and politics, monarchy and democracy. Any attempt to create a short-cut solution by unreservedly embracing democracy is, nothing short of political suicide. - Senituli Penitani

Let's first talk about the US economy. We here in America are just fine. Our children are still well fed. They are still well clothed. They still lie down at night and say their prayers on a warm bed. We share with those who are not fortunate enough. The laughter and smiles we see and hear from our children makes us wonder if there is really a recession. We know there is a recession but we are going to walk out of it together. I don't have time to write all day so I will get to the point.

Gordon Ward, Tonga's former Chief Justice has been appointed as the Chairman of Tonga's new Political Reform Commission along with four other members who were named in a statement from the Privy Council today.

If the integrity of the Tongan Parliament was in any doubt during the last few days of the 2008 parliamentary session then on the night of the final sitting on November 3 it was completely destroyed when members discovered that a sub-clause that had not been passed by the House had appeared in a Gazetted Amendment to an Act. By Pesi Fonua

My GPS Fotua education tells me that a normal working person works 40 hours a week through out the 52 weeks of the year. At the end of the year, there are possible 2,080 working hours. Give or take a few days for illness, religious services and hangover; there are plenty of hours worked. Parliament on the other hand, worked less than 200 hours during this parliamentary session. - Tama Foa